Friday Morning Cliff Notes #4

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Are you surprised with the President’s opening offer, this provocative offer?

MARK HALPERIN: I am surprised because, again, it infringes upon the personal part of this, which is really important, and, as we talked about earlier, pushes Boehner away. I’ll tell you what I’ll predict: the emergence of one of our favorite characters in this drama, Joe Biden. I think Joe Biden…

JOE SCARBOROUGH: I thought you were going to say Donald Trump but go ahead.

MARK HALPERIN: Now that he’s got his Costco trip out of the way, he’s got good relationships with Boehner, good relationships with McConnell, and I think Biden is going to have to bring these people back to the table and say, “Look, that’s just our opening offer,” and get down to the deal. Some people are talking now, in Washington, about a smaller deal, not a grand bargain, but enough to get past the fiscal cliff for six months or maybe even a year to try to get the bigger package.